Fungal histidine kinases

Patent Pending A two-component system, involving histidine kinase and a variable response regulator protein, may be critical to the virulence of some fungal strains such as Candida albicans, which is often responsible for causing candidiasis in immunocompromised persons.[5] C. albicans with a deletion of CHK1, the two-component histidine kinase gene, show defects in morphogenesis and a drastic decrease in the cell’s ability to resist elimination by human neutrophils. As humans lack this two-component system, it may be a good target for anti-microbial agents in order to treat candidiasis.